The present invention relates generally to data storage and retrieval. More particularly, the present invention relates to remotely storing and retrieving test and informational data within equipment.
Mechanical devices, such as household appliances and large commercial devices such as incubators, need to arrive at the customer with a plethora of information. The data can include model and serial numbers, voltage ratings and testing procedures. This data, in order to be helpful, needs to be retained in a safe and secure place. However, with current information retention systems, the information is easily lost or misplaced.
Prior art solutions to this problem have included placing labels on the device. The information that resides on the label usually includes serial and model numbers, voltages, current ratings along with additional information. However, other types of information are not easily tagged with a label. One such piece of information is maintenance history. To further complicate matters, labels on some mechanical devices are not placed in the same location on each and every device. Therefore, it is possible for a person to overlook information that might be contained thereon. Eventually the labels have a tendency to fall off the device or become destroyed. It is even possible that the ink that places the data on the label runs or rubs off when it comes in contact with some type of liquid solution.
To combat some of the above problems, the self-adhesive labels were replaced with metal tags to which the information is stored. However, the tags can be dislocated from the device as well. Another downside to these metal tags is that they are more expensive than the self-adhesive labels.
Another solution to include the information with the device is to attach paper documents to the device itself. In some instances, these information guides are placed in a folder, which itself is attached to the device. However, the same problem that plagues the labels plagues this solution as well. The document, like the labels, are easily lost or misplaced.
These devices, themselves, from time to time fail and are in the need of repair. Current practices have been to call someone familiar with the product and have them diagnose and repair the problem. However, for some problems, the repairperson is similar to a doctor in that he must begin to gather relevant facts to aid determining the problem. With certain types of equipment, the repairperson must be familiar with it in order to solve the problem. Furthermore, the repairperson is usually only armed with a digital multimeter to aid in diagnosing the problem. A person unfamiliar with the product would need the instruction manual along with the digital multimeter to begin to diagnose the problems.
Other difficulties are initial and on-going, calibration of the equipment to specific parameters. The equipment has to be maintained to run at the correct temperature, sensor and battery levels. The prior art maintained the settings with individual switches where the setting could be adjusted. However, the switches are located in a multitude a locations on the mechanical device.
Therefore, a need exists to provide an apparatus or method for storing and retrieving this information in a fast and efficient manner. There is a further need to store this information in a secured central location. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide this method and apparatus through the use of a processor, memory and remote receive and send capabilities such as infrared.
It is therefore a feature and advantage of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for accessing data stored in equipment.
It is another feature and advantage of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for storing data on a storage device linked to equipment.
The above and other features and advantages are achieved through the use of a novel storage device linked to a transmitter and receiver as herein disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a piece of equipment includes a storage device. Data pertaining to the equipment is stored on the storage device. The present invention further includes a processor that is linked to the storage device, a remote receiver and a remote transmitter.
An example of the storage device is non-volatile memory that is linked through a microprocessor. Located on the non-volatile memory is data such as quality control and manufacturing tests information. The data can also include serial and model numbers.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus includes a storage device wherein data about the mechanical apparatus is stored and a remote access that allows a requestor to retrieve the data contained on the storage device. The storage device can be non-volatile memory in which informational and test data is stored and retrieved by authorized personnel. The remote access includes the use of wireless technology such as infrared and BLUETOOTH(trademark).
In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for processing a remote signal to access and retrieve data from a piece of equipment, which includes the steps of storing data on a storage device linked to the equipment, retrieving the data from the storage device upon the reception of a remote retrieve signal and remotely transmitting the data. Further steps to this method are securing the data stored on the storage device, storing data within the storage device upon the reception of a remote storage signal and linking the storage device to a remote location. The method also provides a step whereby the user can access and alter the data from a remote location.
In another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for processing a remote signal to access and retrieve data from a piece of equipment includes means for storing data that is linked to the equipment, means for retrieving the data from the means for storing upon the reception of a remote retrieve signal and means for remotely transmitting the data. The apparatus can further include means for securing the data stored on the means for storing data by granting read and write privileges to the means for storing data.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.